Printing machine



Aug. 25, 1936; C QSBQRN 2,051,890

' PRINTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 25, 1936. H. c. OSBORIN I 2,051,890

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A118. 1936. H. c. OSBORN 2,051,890

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 25, 1936. H.' c. OSBQRN 2,051,890

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PRINTING MACHINE Henry C. Osborn, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application September 9, 1933, Serial No. 688,786

36 Claims.

This invention relates to an addressing machine of the type having a set of address plates successively moved to impression position, and a platen adapted to coact with a positioned plate to print an address or other matter carried by the printing plate. In the past many such machines have been built, and provided with a flat platen adapted to simultaneously strike every row of type on a positioned plate. It has been found that a much better impression is obtained when a rolling platen is used, as the rolling coaction with the positioned plate prints the address or other matters thereon a line at a time. A machine of the latter type is illustrated in Patent No. 1,102,396 of Joseph S. Duncan, issued July 7th, 1914, to my assignee, Adressograph Company. The present invention may be considered an improvement on the construction shown in that patent.

Since printing by rolling contact produces an impression more closely resembling typewriting than an impression made by a single blow of a flat platen against the entire form, and more uniformly clear and distinct, there has been created a demand for thesubstitution of a platen having a rolling action for the flat platen in existing machines of the latter type. The. rolling platens have heretofore been built into addressing machines, but such platens have required comparatively complicate-d operating mechanisms connected with various parts of the machine other than the platen arm, as is evidenced by Patent No. 1,102,396, heretofore mentioned. Such platen operating mechanisms were not used in the flat platen machines, and as addressing machines as a whole have been built as compactly as possible, it has required certain changes to convert a flat blow platen machine into a rolling platen machine. Indeed, the magnitude of such changes was such that, heretofore it has been impractical to make such conversion.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a rolling platen which may be used to replace the flat platen on existing machines with a minimum amount of change and with the addition of a minimum number of parts.

A further object isto provide a rolling platen which may be operated without the use of an. intricate system of levers, and which depends solely upon the normal movement of the platen carrier for its operation.

A more specific object is to provide a roller platen which may be used in connection with a rocking platen arm and so constructed as to eliminate all connections between the platen and the operating parts of the mechanism other than the connection between such rolling platen and the platen arm which supports the platen, and wherein the operation of the rolling platen results automatically from the contact between the platen and the printing bed and/or print ing member. E

Other objects of the invention will become of my improved platen; Fig. 3 is a side eleva' tion of my improved platensimilar to Fig. 1, .but on an enlarged scale, and illustrates the position of the'parts when the platen is idlej Fig. 4 is a centrally located vertical'section, as indicated by the lines 4-4 on Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a vertical section the plane of the section being indicated by thelines 5-5 on Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 3, illustrating the parts as positioned at the beginning of the active printing stroke; Fig. 7 is a transverse sec tion, as indicated by the oifset line'l-l on Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a side elevation similar to Figs. 3 and 6, but illustrating the parts as positioned at the end of a printingstroke; Fig. 9 is a section similar to Fig. 4, but illustrating the parts in their respective positions at the end of a printing stroke. V 1 1 M Referring first to Figs.'1,.2.and 9, I indicate, at ID, the general frame of an addressing machine having a horizontal trackway ll along which address plates 8 may be progressed one after anotherfrom the bottom of a stackat I2 to a supportingbed l3. A suitable conveyor, such as a pair of endless chains-indicated atl l, is

provided to move the plates. Suitable mechanism, not shown, periodically progresses :the chain to cause lugs l6 thereon to engage'the bottom plate in the stack and shove italong towards the printing position. This same opera-,

tion shoves all plates in advance-thereof so that one after another of the plates comes onto the support |3.- 3 e The platen'arm 20 is pivoted to the frame at 2|, and is adapted to berocked to bring its lower end down to position over theprinting bed I3, as shown in Fig. 8, or when rocked in the opposite direction,'to become idle as shown' in Figs. 1 and 3. The rocking of the platen arm is effected by the oscillation of the pivot shaft 2|, by any suitable means not shown, but which may be similar to that shown in Patent No. 1,102,396, heretofore mentioned.

My invention is concerned with a rolling or rocking impression mechanisml carried by the head 25 of the platen arm and automatically operated consequent upon the lowering of the arm.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, there will be seen a supporting block 40 beneath the head 25 of the platen arm, and adjustably connected to it. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, a supporting stud 26 extends loosely through an opening 21 in the head 25 of the platen, and threadingly engages the block 40. A pair of adjusting screws 28 are carried by the block 40, adjacent its rearmost corners, and extend upwardly therefrom and are provided at their upper ends with heads 29. which engage the lower face 36 of the head 25. A similar adjusting screw 3|, is carried by the head 25 adjacent its forward edge and intermediate of the ends thereof, the lowermost end of this adjusting screw engaging the upper surface of the block 48. A suitable compression spring carried by the supporting screw 26 coacts with the lower face of the head of the screw and an upper surface of the head 25 and serves to maintain the various adjusting screws against their coacting surfaces and thereby retain the block 40 in an adjusted position relative to the head 25 of the platen arm. By this means the block or support 40 is firmly positioned on the underside of the platen arm head 25, but at the same time may be adjusted by turning the various adjusting screws.

The platen proper comprises a segment 50 of a cyclinder having on its concave face projecting webs 5|, in which is mounted an axial rod 53 carryingrollers 54 and 55. The under face of the supporting block 40 is provided at its opposite ends with a pair of downwardly extending ribs 56, which engage the rollers 54. It will be noted from Figs. 4, 5, 7 and 9 that the under faces of the ribs 55 are always inclined relative to the plane of the printing surface of the address plate and relative to the top of the frame I0, both of which lie in a substantially horizontal plane. It is also evident that the angle of this inclination decreases as the platen approaches the printing position. It follows, therefore, that the initial downward movement of the platen arm will cause the platen to contact with the address plate. Further downward movement of the platen decreases the distance between the under surface of the block 4!] and the printing plate or surface of the machine. Therefore, the rollers 54 will be cammed or squeezed outwardly (toward the left in the drawings), thereby moving the rod 53 outwardly. As the axis of the shaft 53 and the axis of the platen substantially coincide, the outward movement of therod 53 results in a rolling action between the platen and printing plate.

I provide a yielding resistance to the outward or left-hand movement of the platen above described, with theresult that the rollers are maintained in snug engagement with their respective tracks, and with the further result that a downward pressure of the platen against the plate is produced. Such pressure results from the reaction of the retarded rollers 54 against the block 40, caused by the spring, plus the reaction of the printing plate against such downward pressure on the platen arm as would be required to roll the platen outwardly, were it unobstructed by the spring. I avail myself of this yielding resistant also to return the platen during the upward movement of the arm 20.

For the purposes just described, I provide a pair of arms 10, which are secured to the opposite ends of a rock shaft ll journalled in suitable lugs 12 of the block 40 and which extends beyond the ends of the block, so that the lower ends of the arms may engage the outermost ends of the platen shaft 53, which extends beyond retaining plates 68, hereinafter described. A suitable torsion spring 13 encircles the shaft H and acts to cause the arm ill to carry the platen shaft rearwardly and thereby roll the platen to return it to its normal position.

During the printing operation, the lower ends of the arms 10 are carried forward by the ends of the platen shaft 53, as the latter is moved for ward, as heretofore explained. This movement of the arms 15 results in the rocking of the shaft H and further tightens the spring 13. Thereafter, as the platen arm rises, the arms Ill carry the platen rearwardly to its normal or idle position,

rocking it across the printing plate in a reverse direction.

I prefer to arrange the mechanism so that the downward movement of the platen may be accurately limited. To this end I provide a carriage or frame 63, which is supported by the printing lock 4! and has a pair of outwardly extending parallel arms 6 I, which embrace the opposite ends of the platen 50. As shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the upper surfaces of the arms 6| co-act with the rollers 55, heretofore described. The frame 60 is supported from the block by a pair of studs 63, which extend loosely through openings 64 in the block and are provided at their upper ends with collars 55, which may be adjustably positioned on their respective studs, to limit the downward movement of the frame 60 relative to the block 48. The frame 60 is rectangular in outline and is provided at its four lowermost corners with adjusting screws 56, the heads of which extend downwardly below the frame and are arranged to coact with the top of the machine frame It, or the paper resting thereon, to maintain the upper surfaces of the arms 5| parallel with the printing plate. The adjusting screws permit the distance between the upper surfaces of the arms 6! on which the rollers 55 ride and the top surface of the machine to be increased or decreased, as desired.

During the idle position of the arm 20 the platen is maintained in its uppermost position, with the rollers 54 substantially in contact with the lower faces of their guide ribs 56. As shown, the platen shaft or rod 53 extends outwardly beyond the ends of the rollers 54 and 55, and is engaged by slots Bl in the retaining plates 68 heretofore mentioned, which are secured to the end surfaces of the supporting block 40 by suitable screws 69. In this way the platen is maintained in its uppermost position until such time as the frame 60 has been positioned and is contacting with the frame I0.

As heretofore mentioned, the tension on the spring 33 controls the downward pressure of the platen 55 on the material to be printed. Explaining this more fully, it will be noted from Figs. 4 and 9 that the downward movement of the platen arm 25 causes the axis of the platen to be moved toward the left in the drawings, as heretofore described. This action, insofar as the downward pressure of the platen 50 is concerned, is somewhat similar to the action of a toggle, wherein the platen is one link, the head 25, together with the block 40 is another link, and the rod or platen shaft 53 is the pivot between the two links. The powerapplied to this mechanism is substantially a direct downward pressure on the upper end of the upper toggle link, namely the head 25. The result desired is the distribution of this power to move the platen axis or toggle pivot outwardlyand at the same time exert a downward or printing pressure on the lower toggle link, namely, the platen 50. The pressure required for the making of an impression is, as a rule, considerably greater than the reaction of the force required to move the toggle pivot or platen shaft 53 outwardly (to the left in the drawings). Therefore, I resist the outward movement of the platen axis or shaft 53 and thereby create a printing pressure equal to the force required to overcome such resistance and move the platen axis outwardly, and I prefer to employ the spring 73 heretofore described for this purpose. As shown in the drawings, the arms 10 are always maintained in engagement with the ends of the platen shaft 53, by the spring 13. The direction of the force applied to the platen shaft 53 by these arms 70' is such that it opposes the outward movement of the platen. Hence, the printing pressure will be equal to the force required to overcome the action of the spring '53 and the arms 18 to move the platen outwardly.

The printing pressure is adjusted by adjusting the torsion of the spring 13. As shown in Fig. '7, one end of the spring 13 is secured to the block W, as at M, and the other end is secured to a collar 15, which is secured in an adjusted position on the shaft by a suitable pin 16, which passes through an opening W in the collar and seats in an opening in the shaft 1|. As shown, the collar is provided with a series of openings 11 to permit a fine adjustment of the spring force. The platen is readily removable by the operator from the block 23. He merely grasps the platen and draws it forwardly while the platen arm is in its upper position. In this manner the platen shaft slips readily out of the slots 6'1 and free from the arms It, which, after the platen has been withdrawn, are carried by the spring F3 into engagement with suitable stops 13 carried by the plates 68, heretofore described.

When the platen is to be replaced on the arm, the arms 10 may be rocked to permit the platen shaft to be readily inserted. A suitable toolT may be inserted in one of a series of openings i9 in the bushing 15 of the spring shaft H, and the shaft rocked against the action of the spring to rock the arms clockwise to a position which will enable the platen shaft to be slipped thereunder. The tool T may likewise be used to relieve the tension of the spring E3 on the pin 16, which secures the spring in its adjusted position, and the pin removed, the shaft rocked, and the pin thereafter inserted in a different opening, to regulate the tension of the arms 70 on the platen.

It is often desirable to print only the last linesor the left-hand portion of the printing plate. For this purpose, I so arrange my, platen that its initial printing position may be adjusted. As shown in Fig. 4, I secure to the underside of the block 49 an L-shaped bracket member 80, which has an adjustable pin and slot connection 8| and 82 with the block 48', whereby the bracket may be readily adjusted to bring the downwardly extending leg 83 thereof forwardly or rearwardly to locate the rearmost position of the platen, the leg of the bracket engaging the webs of the platen to so limit the movement.

As the platen shaft 53 is free to rotate, by reason of the interposed ball bearings, the platen when idle 'will depend by gravity against the stop 83 in suchposition that its rearmost edge will be substantially above the first line to be printed, the frictional engagement of the rollers with their guides having no effect upon the swinging of the platen about its axis.

It should be noted that, by reason of the po-- sition of the pivot of the impression arm, the block 40 as it moves downwardly reduces the degreeof the angle between the under face ofthe block and the top of the plate 60, that is to say, the angle between the inclined member on the arm and the plane of the form. This movement of the arm also changes the position of such angle, moving it bodily; or, in other words, moves the'location of the intersection of the inclined 20 shown both the angularity and the position .are 25 changed, to give the desired stroke to the platen. Therefore, when I use the term change in the angle in the appended claims, I intend it to include either a change in the angularity or a 50 change in the position, or both.

'It will be seen from the description given that I have provided a segmental rocking platen and means for effecting its operation which is all selfcontained and adapted for mounting on the platen arm of an addressing machine without requiring any connection to the general operating mechanism of the addressing machine. This not only enables an interchange to be made with flat platens of existing machines, but also'provides a simple construction for machines originally designed to carry my segmental roll and platen. The structure is simple in itself, may be constructed comparatively cheaply, and has been demonstrated to be effective in producing the desired line-by-line printing.

I claim:-

1. In a printing machine, the combination of means for supporting the form, a movable member, a rolling platen carried by said member and means carried solely by said member and oper 5! ating automatically consequent upon the movement of the member to cause the platen to roll over the form. I I

2. In a printingmachine, the combination of means for supporting the form, a downwardly 55 movable head, a rolling platen carried by said head on the underside of the head, and mechanism carried solely by said head and operating automatically consequent upon the movement of thehead toward the form to cause the platen to roll over the form.

' 3. In an address printing machine, a platen arm having a platen carrier mounted thereon, said carrier having two members movable relative to each other, one member having a surface surface parallel with saidplate, a platen having an arcuate surface, means to support said platen with its axis movable in a plane parallel with said plate, a member having a surface inclined relative to said plate, one of said members being movable to change the angle included between said surfaces, means cooperating with both of said surfaces and responsive to such change of said angle to move the axis of said platen and thereby rock the platen across the printing plate and an adjustable spring to oppose such movement of the platen axis and thereby control the printing pressure.

5. In an address printing machine, a bed for supporting an address plate, a platen arm movable to a position over said plate, a platen having an arcuate surface movably supported by said arm, said arm having one surface rigid therewith in operation and coacting with said platen, said arm member having a second surface coacting with said platen and movable relative to said first named surface and in a plane intersecting the plane of said first named surface, said platen having means gripped between the surfaces of said intersecting planes, means to change the location of the intersection of said planes and thereby move said platen relative to said arm.

6. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed for supporting an address plate in printing position, a platen arm, a segmental platen carried by said arm and adapted to be positioned thereby over the plate on said bed, means carried solely by said platen arm and movable into contact with a stationary part of the machine, said means being arranged to permit movement of said arm after contact is made between said means and said stationary part, and means responsive to said last named movement to rock the platen across the printing plate.

'7. The combination of means for supporting a form, a movable arm, a platen movable about an axis, rollers on the platen at such axis, a member on the arm inclined with reference to the plane of the form and adapted to bear against such rollers to cause the platen to rock across the form.

8. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed adapted to support an address plate in printing position on the bed, a pivoted platen arm, means for lowering the arm into position over the bed, a segmental platen having rollers concentric with its axis, one of'said rollers bearing against a flat surface on the arm when the platen bears down against the address plate on said bed, the other of said rollers bearing against a surface inclined and movable relative to said first named surfaces, whereby relative movement between said surfaces may cause said platen to rock across the surface of a positioned address plate.

9. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed adapted to support an address plate in printing position on the bed, a pivoted platen arm, means for lowering the arm'into position over the bed, a segmental platen having rollers concentric with its axis, one of said rollers bearing against a flat surface on the arm when the platen bears down against the address plate on said bed, the other of said rollers bearing against a surface inclined and movable relative to said first named surfaces, means including the movement of said arm to change the presentation of said surfaces to said rollers, whereby said platen is caused to rock across the surface of a positioned address plate, means to return said rollers,

and means carried by said arm to limit the re.- turn of said rollers.

10. In an address printing machine, the combination of a bed adapted to support an address plate in printing position, a pivoted platen arm, means for lowering said arm into position over said positioned plate, a segmental platen movably mounted on said arm, a pair of rollers carried by said platen, said arm having a surface inclined relative to the plane of said plate during the actual printing position of said arm and arranged to overlie and coact with one of said rollers, a member underlying and coacting with the other of said rollers and capable of movement relative to said arm, the surface of said member being substantially parallel to said plate and means to cause a movement of one of said surfaces relative to the other to cause said rollers to move along their respective surfaces and thereby cause said platen to rock across said printing plate.

11. The combination of means for supporting a form, a movable arm, a roller platen having a shaft at its axis, rollers on said shaft, a member on the arm inclined with reference to the plane of the form and adapted to bear against said rollers to cause the platen to rock across the form, and a restoring device adapted to engage the platen shaft to return it to initial position as the arm rises.

12. In a printing machine, the combination of an arm, a block carried thereby, a plate movably carried by the block and adjustable so as to become parallel with the form when the arm is lowered, a rocking platen, two rollers thereon, one bearing on the block and the other on the plate, means for changing the angle between the block and plate to shift the rollers bodily and thereby roll the platen, a rock shaft carried by the block, a pair of arms on the rock shaft adapted to bear against the platen at the axis, and a spring acting on the rock shaft, whereby the platen is restored after it has become free from the form.

13. The combination with means for supporting a form, a movable head, a roller platen, means for causing the platen to roll over the form. when the head is lowered, a shaft at the axis of said platen, a spring actuated restoring device independent of the platen operating means and tending to move the platen back to initial position as the head rises, and means carried by the head and adapted to stand beneath the platen shaft and support it after the platen has cleared the form. I

14. The combination of means for supporting a form, a member movable toward such support, a roller platen adapted to coact with the form on the support and having its axis bodily movable with reference to the member, an actuating surface on the member adapted to act on the platen to move the axis of the platen bodily, and means for maintaining the platen in contact with the' actuating surface.

15. The combination of means for supporting a form, a member movable toward such support, a roller platen adapted to coact with both the member and the form on the support and having its axis bodily movable with reference to said member, means on said memb er adapted to act on the platen to move the axis of the platen bodily, and a device movably mounted on the member and acting on the platen independently of the means for moving the platen bodily and opposing such movement.

16. The combination, with means for supporting a form, of a member movable toward the form and having an inclined surface, a rolling platen adapted to coact with the form and engaged by said inclined surface, and means in addition to the frictional contact of the platen with the form and the inclined surface for resisting the movement of the platen along the incline andthereby supply the printing pressure.

17. The combination, with means for supporting a form, of a member movable toward the form, a rolling platen adapted to coact with the form, means on the member for shoving the, axis of the platen to cause the platen to roll over the form, and means for yieldingly resisting such movement of the platen and thereby supplying printing pressure.

18. The combination of means for sup-porting a form, an arm movable toward the form and having an inclined surface, a platen between the arm and form having rolling contact with the inclined surface to cause the platen to .roll over the form while in engagement therewith, and means for yieldingly resisting the movement of the platen relative to the arm.

19. The combination of means for supporting an address plate, a downwardly facing inclined surface bodily movable toward the address plate, a segmental platen with a roller about its axis engaging said surface, means for moving the surface to cause the roller to travel along the same to thereby rock the platen, spring constrained mechanism adapted to act against the platen in opposition to the movement of theplaten axis by reason of the shoving action of the inclined surface. 7 1 a c 20. In a printing machine, the combination of means for supporting a form, a downwardly movable head, a rolling platen carried by the head, means carried solely by the head and operating automatically consequent upon the movement of the head toward the form supporting means to shove the platen axis, and a yielding resistant carried by the head and tending to move the platen in the opposite direction to its travel to cause a downward printing pressure by reaction against the shoving means.

21. The combination of means for supporting a form, a movable arm, a rolling platen bodily movable relative to the arm, means on the arm inclined with reference to the plane of the form on the support and adapted to bear slidingly against the platen to roll the same across the form, and a yielding resistant opposing such movement of the platen and thereby furnishing a printing pressure against the form.

22. The combination of means for supporting a form, a movable arm, a platen movable about an axis, rollers on the platen at such axis, a member on the arm having a surface inclined with reference to the plane of the form and adapted to bear against said rollers to cause the platen to rock across the form as the arm moves toward it, and adjustable spring mechanism opposing such movement of the platen.

23. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed adapted to support an address plate in printing position, a pivoted arm, means for lowering the arm into position over the bed, a platen having an arcuate surface and provided with rollers concentric to its axis, downwardly facing inclined surfaces on the arm, said rollers bearing at their upper regions against the inclined surfaces on the arm when the platen bears down against the address plate on the bed, and spring means acting against the platen to 'yieldingly oppose the rolling action caused by said inclined surfaces.-

24. The combination of meansfor supportinga 5 form, a movable arm, a roller platen having a shaft at its axis, means on the arm acting against the platen to roll it on the form, a pair of lever arms actingv against theplaten shaft, and spring means acting on the lever arms yieldingly holding the platen againstthe rolling movement caused by the movement of the platen arm. Y

25. The combination of meansfor supporting a form, a downwardly movable head having an in: clined surface, a platen having an arcuate face and a shaft at its axis, a roller onsaid shaft-en.- gaging saidsurface, a rock shaft on, the head, a spring tending to turn the rock shaft, and a pair of arms on the rock shaft adaptedto act against the platen shaft in opposition to the movement of 20 the platen shaft by reason of the shoving action of the inclined surface against said roller; I

26. The combination of means for supporting a form, an arm movable toward the form on such support, a roller platen adapted to .coact with 25 the form 'andhaving its axis bodily movable with reference to the arm, means on the arm; adapted to act on the platen to move the axis of the platen bodily, a yielding resistance opposing such movement, and means for adjustably limiting the ap- 30 proach of the platen to the form. 7:.

27. In a printing machine, the combination of means for supporting a form, a rolling platen, means for shoving the platen axis againstthe action of a yielding resistant whileholding the 35 platen in coaction with the form on the supporting means, a frame adjustable with reference to the plane of the paper to be printed, and rollers on the platen engaging the surface of said frame on its opposite face from the paper.

28. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for supporting a form, a member movable toward the form, a rolling platen having a projecting shaft at its axis, a pair of retaining plates carried by the member and having open-ended slots which the projections of the shaft occupy, pivoted arms on the member engaging said shaft, spring means acting on said arms, whereby the arms tend to force the platen shaft into the slots of the retaining plates, and means on the member to engage the platen and force the shaft thereof in a direction to pass out of the slots. v

29. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for supporting a form, a movable platen arm, a rolling platen having a projecting shaft at its axis, a pair of retaining plates carried by the platen arm and having open-ended slots which the projections of the shaft occupy, pivoted arms on the head engaging 60 said shaft, spring means acting on said arms, whereby the arms tend to force the platen shaft into the slots of the retaining plates, inclined surfaces on the platen arm adapted to engage rollers on the platen shaft and force the shaft thereof in a, direction to pass out of the slots, the pivoted arms on the platen arm continuing to engage the platen shaft throughout its printing movement, the retaining plates below the slots termi- 7O nating short of the travel of the platen shaft, whereby when the head is elevated the platen may be released from the retaining plates, by pulling the shaft forwardly against the action of the spring actuated arms. 7

30. In a printing machine, the combination with means for supporting a printing plate, a platen arm mounted for movement toward and from such supported printing plate, a guide on saidarm, a platen movably-mounted on said arm and carrying a roller bearing against said guide, and means to cause said platen to roll across said printing plate while the platen roller travels along said guide, said platen having no other operating connection with the printing machine than its supporting connection through said arm.

31. The combination of means for supporting the form, a movable arm, a rolling platen bodily movable relative tothe arm, an inclined member on the arm adapted to bear movably against a member on the platen to force the last mentioned member along the first mentioned member while in contact therewith to cause the platen to roll across the form.

32. In an address printing machine, the combination with means for supporting a printing plate, of a platen arm having a surface inclined relative to the plane of the printing plate, means to move said arm to decrease the angle inclination of said surface, a platen movably carried by said arm and carrying a member movable along said surface, and means responsive to the decrease in said angle of inclination to roll said platen across said printing plate.

33. In an address printing machine, the combination with means for supporting a printing plate, of a platen arm having a surface inclined relative to the plane of the printing plate, means to move said arm to shift the location of the intersection of the plane of said surface with the plane of the printing plate, a platen having an arcuate surface movably carried by said arm, and means carried by the platen and movably engaging the inclined surface and moved in consequence of said shift of plane intersection to roll said platen across said printing plate.

34. The combination with meansfor supporting a form, a movable head, a roller platen bodily movable relative thereto, a roller carried by the platen concentric with its axis, means carried solely by the head and bearing against the periphery of said roller for causing the platen to roll over the form when the head is lowered, and automatic means for restoring the platen to initial position as the head rises.

35. In a printing machine, the combination of means for supporting a form, a rolling platen, an adjustable yielding resistant which acts to press the platen against the form, and means for shoving the platen axis against the action of such yielding resistant while holding the platen in coaction with the form on the support, whereby there is a printing pressure variable with the force of the resistant.

. 36. The combination of means for supporting the form, a movable arm, a rolling platen, a member on the arm having a surface facing the plane of the form and making an acute angle therewith when the arm is in. printing position,

an engageable surface on the platen adapted to bear against the said surface of the member and travel along the same, whereby the platen is caused to roll across the form consequent upon the downward movement of the arm, and a yielding resistant to such rolling action.

HENRY C. OSBORN. 

